The Business Council of New York State endorses Cuomo for Governor

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08
Oct
2014

Albany, N.Y.—The Political Action Committee of The Business Council of New York State, Inc. has endorsed Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's re-election bid.

“Looking at the state's next set of challenges, and what we were able to accomplish over the past four years, The Business Council believes that Governor Cuomo is the best choice to lead the effort,” said Heather C. Briccetti, Esq., president and CEO of The Business Council. “The Business Council and its members have a good working relationship with the Governor and his administration.

The Business Council endorsed Cuomo's bid four years ago, citing his pledge to cap state spending, and real property taxes at 2 percent, improve the quality of education, and address rising energy costs and the burden they place on energy-intensive business.

“Over the past four years, with Governor Cuomo's leadership, we made significant progress on these objectives and more,” said Briccetti.

The Business Council cited the following accomplishments of the Cuomo administration:

  • Four consecutive low-growth budgets,
  • Newfound discipline on the spending side of the budget, which allowed for a $600 million per year business tax reform package that supports key components of the state's economy, upstate and downstate,
  • Major estate tax reform, which will eliminate the death tax as a factor for many small business owners and retirees looking to remain in New York,
  • A real property tax cap that has been effective in limiting costs at the local level,
  • A significant new, statewide economic development power program, RechargeNY, with nearly 700 business participants and more than 350,000 jobs,
  • Education reforms including adoption of Common Core standards, and initiatives such as P-TECH schools that will help match skills development with real world job demands,
  • Cost-savings reforms in the state's unemployment insurance system, a program that touches every employer in the state, among others.

“Importantly, in addition to supporting these pro-growth, pro-jobs initiatives, Governor Cuomo has shown his ability to get difficult issues through an often sharply divided State Legislature.

“We need to do more to promote growth, especially in upstate New York. We need to do more on regulatory reform, on local mandate relief, and on other reform topics.

The Business Council represents some 2,400 private sector employers in New York and our members include businesses of all sizes from across the State employing more than 1.2 million New Yorkers.